Down on her luck
by melaniecfan4ever
Summary: she's homeless, pregnant, mother of one, dying of the Asian Flu. How will she survive? will her niece find her before it's too late?


**Down on her luck**

It was Christmas time in Waycross of 2013. As a tradition the EMS was getting ready for its annual food drive. As I attempted to pack food, my mind was with Aunt Mel. She had been missing. She was also sick with the Asian flu.

_Melanie was out in the icy cold of the dark winter night. Her stomach was rumbling as she sat on the curve under the overpass. She was eating for 2 and she couldn't stand the empty feeling in her stomach. In her desperation, she decided to do something to satisfy her hunger. She was going to steal food. In that instant, she remembered there was a deli near by where she could eat her fill. All she had to do is break in and steal a small amount of meat and bread. She knew it was wrong as she snuck in the back door. She had no sooner taken her first bite of the sandwich and found it delicious. She finished one half quickly and put the other half into her coat pocket and left without anyone noticing her. She snuck back to her temporary home under the over pass. It was a little more than a small tent made from a trap that had flown from a passing truck. Inside her daughter Scarlet, slept restlessly in the center of it. Reluctantly she shook her awake and handed her the other half of the sandwich. The young girl ate it hungrily. _

"_Mummy this sandwich is good, where did you get it?" She asked._

"_I got it from the sandwich shop. I'm sorry I only got one dear." She replied weakly. After Scarlet finished they both laid down. As Mel attempted to get her to sleep, a train came by. Scared, Scarlet hugged up to her mum tightly curling up next to her. She hugged her gently and fell into a restful sleep. Suddenly Melanie awakened. Moving away from Scarlet she began to vomit. This time there was blood in it. This happened every time she ate. She knew she wouldn't be able to keep going like this._

"_Mummy ok?" Scarlet asked sleepily._

"_Mummy's fine sweetie." Melanie replied weakly wiping the blood from her lip. Suddenly she felt a small sensation. She moved her hand to her belly. She rubbed it gently frowning. The baby was kicking. She was worried. _

'_I can't let my kids down," she thought, "I need to find a safe place while I can still take care of them.' _

_She awoke the next morning with a groan. Carefully removing Scarlet's arms from her waist, she crept weakly from beneath the tarp. She looked out onto the busy streets and sighed. Today she would have to beg after all she need help. She waited until Scarlet had awakened greeting her with a weak smile. Then she took her by the hand and led her to the grocery store. There they sat begging. Unfortunately no one was in a giving mood. Passerby simply ignored or cursed at them._

After stocking the baskets for the food drive, we decided to go shopping for personal donations. As we passed the begging mother and her daughter on the street, we felt our hearts sing. They were picked on by others, we stopped. We knew they needed help.

"Guys those people are in trouble. We need to help them." I said.

"Why?" Charlie asked.

"It's the right thing to do." I said. We pulled up during the worst of it. Adults and children pelted them with trash. Someone even screamed obscenities. As one struck the sick woman's face I lost it. I put myself between the beggars and the people. I was determined to see them left alone.

"You people should be ashamed, throwing things at homeless people on Christmas!" I said.

"They're just hoboes." A boy said.

"They're still human beings." I replied. The Mother and daughter were huddled together. As the crowed disappeared, I offered her my hand. To my surprise she simply limped away. As she ran the child looked at me as if I was familiar. I couldn't help feeling as though something was up.

"Hey wait." I said as she limped away.

"Angel?" She asked to herself slightly startled as she limped away "please let us be."

"Calm down all I wanted to do is give you food." I called.

"Really?" She asked weakly pausing slightly

"Yes, I promise." I said putting the food down near my feet and backing away. Slowly she turned to face us. She walked toward the bag. Picking it up with caution, she opened it checking the contents. She looked up gratefully.

"Thank you for the food but please don't follow us. We're not worth it." She said weakly. I watched then walk away saddened by her departure. I walked back to my car and drove away. On the ride home I was upset, I couldn't shake the feeling I knew them. I needed to help them. I didn't know how, but I needed to help.

_Melanie limped away with Scarlet siftly. She hung her head down with sadness, fatigue, and weakness. The girl who had just given them food was her beloved niece. She wanted to tell her the truth but she held her tongue. She was consumed with guilt over her inability to her niece the truth of her situation. With her pockets empty and her bag full of food. They walked down a familiar street. They stopped near the home she had owned before this mess began. She had been evicted. Still they called this place home._

"_Mummy we home?" Scarlet asked._

"_Yes honey at least for a moment." Melanie said weakly but sadly._

"_Mummy how's sissy?" Scarlet asked putting her hand on her mom's belly._

"_Mummy's a bit worried dear," Melanie replied weakly putting her shaking hand over Scarlet's, "I'm scared, but I hope your sister's alright," and her knees gave out from the strain of supporting her sickness ravaged body. _

"_It'll be ok Mummy, I pray for her." Scarlet said kissing her mom's belly. As she watched Scarlet play in what used to be their front yard, she had time to think. She remembered her encounter with her niece before. She frowned as she remembered that how she didn't recognized her. But even so maybe it would be for the best. After all she would find out about her aunts' finical hardship._

"_Mummy why we say no hi to anie?" Scarlet asked_

"_Mummy didn't feel well dear." Melanie said weakly._

"_I miss anie." Scarlet said._

"_Me too." Melanie said weakly. After a few hours the sun was beginning to set. Feeling a bit cold of the winter night. She began to walk back to her home under to walk back to her home under the overpass. As she did, a car pulled into the house next door. She only sped up. She kept going until the tarp was in sight._

"_Mummy, I tired." Scarlet said._

"_Get some rest then dear, mummy needs to think." Melanie said weakly. That night she sat up thinking of her life. It bothered her. She wanted to get back. She wanted her home. She needed help._

_They awoke early the next morning and they were out begging again. Scarlet wanted to see her cousin again, but the day didn't hold that. Instead a rare occasion of snow in Georgia made them seek warm shelter. Unfortunately when they returned to their tarp, they found out that vandals had destroyed it. Again their home was taken. _

"_Mummy who did this?" Scarlet asked sobbing._

"_I don't know." Melanie said weakly hugging her daughter._

"_Mummy what we do now?" Scarlet sobbed._

"_We need to find a place to rest dear." Melanie replied weakly. Distraught from her home's distruction, they trudged away, with scarlet in tow. She only had one place to go. She made her way to her former home. Shivering in the cold, she managed to get into a unlocked car near by. She would have to explain in the morning but at least they were warm. _

I was awakened that night with a movement outside. I rushed to the window looking though the foggy glass to see who was outside. Seeing a familiar pair in the dim light of the street lamp. I hoped it was the homeless people we had seen before. As they climbed into the back, I knew it was them. I retreated to my bed knowing they were speared the cold

_Melanie awoke with a start. Sitting up weakly, she clutched her little girl close to her looking around wearily. Suddenly she realized that she knows this car, it was her niece's lexes LS. She was awestricken by this. Somehow her niece had managed to provide both of them with a safe place from the cold._

I awoke the next morning. I walked back to the window to find the woman and her daughter had awakened. Careful not to make any obvious signs of movement or noise, I walked up to the car and opened the door with a auto click since I had activated it for their protection. Slowly I walked out making eye contacted with the woman, she seemed familiar somehow. As she shifted to allow her sleeping child more comfortable rest, a piece of gold of jewelry fell from the neckline of her tattered coat. It was a jeweled charm that said 'World's greatest aunt'. The unique quality of the piece was unmistakable. Once I saw that it clicked to mine, regardless of her state, it WAS Aunt Mel. As I reached the car, the door swung open. However the previous night's cold and hunger had left her tired. Instead of getting out, she simply put a shaking finger to her lips as I approached. Not wanting to wake my cousin Scarlet up, I simply slid in beside Melanie. For a moment we sat there in silence, and then I spoke.

"Aunt Mel relax I know it's you." I said sweetly.

"Angel I promise I'll explain everything once scarlet wakes up." She said weakly. We sat quietly for a moment. After what seemed like hours of silence, Scarlet awoke. She saw me and slid between me and Melanie. She hugged me tightly before snuggling into the warmth of my jacket. With her awake it was time for Melanie to explain. I was curious and silently scared of what she had to say.

"Aunt Mel you promised you would explain everything." I said

"Angel it's a long story, but to summarize it I went bankrupt. You remember my CFO Ted?" She asked weakly.

"Yeah." I replied

"He invested money and lost us everything." She replied weakly. She suddenly started to wheeze. Her body spasmed as she leaned over the door window. Then she vomited. Watching this I noticed blood in it. This was frightening

"You need a doctor." I said

"But I can't afford it." She said weakly.

"I'll pay for it." I said. With that I drove her to the hospital. I called before hand and Elizabeth was waiting on her. Within seconds of arrival, she was taken into the ICU. Soon after I got news about Mel. She had the Asian Flu. From Elizabeth's expression, it was severe.

"Elizabeth, what's wrong?" I asked

"She's got the Asian Flu and bronchial pneumonia." She replied.

"Is she gonna be ok?" I asked.

"We can't be certain, but she needs her IV bag changed. Would you like to help?" She asked

"Sure." I said and I walked into the hospital room.

"Aunt Mel, I'm here and I'm gonna help with the IV." I said changing the bag.

"Thank you Angel." She said weakly rubbing her belly with her free shaking hand to calm her restless baby. We sat there once her IV started; with little time she fell asleep giving me a chance to look her over. She was thin and boney with the exception of her pregnant belly. Her eyes and face were sunken in. She was frighteningly malnourished.

She woke up the next morning to me sitting in a chair beside the bed. As she sat up weakly she noticed that Scarlet was gone. I quickly calmed her down.

"Where's Scarlet?" She asked weakly.

"She's with Elizabeth getting a flu shot." I said calmly. While I calmed Melanie down, Elizabeth came back with Scarlet in tow. Scarlet had apparently been crying. However a quick look over her body told me why. A small band aid covered the area where a shot was administered. She was scared of needles.

"Well Mel you're very lucky. Scarlet's very healthy. I gave her a flu shot." Elizabeth said.

"How did she handle it?" Melanie asked weakly.

"She did well. Oh before I forget, here you go Scarlet." Elizabeth said handing Scarlet a lollypop.

"Scar what do we say?" Melanie asked weakly to scarlet.

"Thank you Doctor Lizzie-beth." Scarlet said unwrapping her lolly. She jumped upon Mel's bed. She snuggled close to her. After a moment she fell asleep. Melanie simply pulled the blanket over her.

"Aunt Mel are you ok?" I asked.

"Yes Angel, I've never been happier." She said weakly while rubbing her pregnant belly and stroking Scarlet's hair.

"Angel I wanted to say something." She said weakly.

"What is it Aunt Mel?" I asked.

"Thank you for saving us from the street." She said weakly giving me a weak one arm hug.

I stayed with them that night. She and Scarlet awoke the next morning onlu to lay quietly in the bed. The orderly brought Mel and Scarlet breakfast of oatmeal. Unfortunately Mel couldn't have it prompted by Elizabeth to feed her interveniously.

Mummy, me full." Scarlet said.

"That's good." Melanie said weakly. After she ate, Elizabeth checked on the baby. She wheeled in the sonogram machine. She prepped Melanie and made a few basses. To our surprise the baby was fine. We all sighed in relief.

"The baby is fine." Elizabeth said.

"What a relief." Melanie said weakly

"That's great." I said.

"I know and it's all thanks to you Angel." Melanie said weakly giving me a weak one arm hug. Elizabeth leaving Melanie in my care. She tried to sit up. I helped her sit up. Then I rubbed her back. She relaxed.

"This doesn't hurt does it?" I asked

"No your mum taught you well." She said weakly. It went on like this until Melanie fell asleep. With her napping, Scarlet jumped into my arms. She snuggled into my arms. As she looked up sweetly, iknew what she wanted. She wanted a hug.

"Anie I miss you." She said hugging me tightly.

"I missed you too." I said hugging her deeply. Suddenly Melanie awoke. Noticing her mum's awakening, Scarlet looked up. Meeting eyes with her she smiled. She seemed to enjoy this.

"Isn't this cute." I said stroking Scarlet's hair.

"Yes, she missed you." Melanie said weakly. As the day passed Scarlet returned to Melanie. Soon she was fighting sleep. That's was when I decided to read her a story from a bedtime story app. Suddenly Melanie said go ahead and do it. So I lent her my phone.

"Cinderella was a woman who lived in the forest with her wicked step mum and step sisters. Once the prince of the land threw a ball at the castle," Melanie began weakly.

"Mummy what a ball?" Scarlet asked

"A fancy party." Melanie answered weakly. With her question answered and her enchanted by the magic of Cinderella, Scarlet cuddled up to Melanie. She slept smiling that night. Melanie simply stroked her hair before laying her comfortably beside her. She turned to me. She seemed legitimately scared.

"Angel I'm worried. If I die, what will happen to Scarlet?" She asked sobbing weakly.

"That won't happen Aunt Mel, if it does, I'll make sure she's taken care of." I said.

"Thank you Angel." She said weakly.

"What's family for?" I asked. With that she relaxed still sobbing a bit. I couldn't stand it. I wanted to hug her. Doing so she returned my hug. With that she stopped sobbing.

"I'm glad I could be here for you." I said.

"I'm glad you're here Angel." She said weakly.


End file.
